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My sheltie is fat!

Discussion in 'General Health' started by blacknblue, Jun 20, 2009.

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  1. blacknblue

    blacknblue Forums Regular

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    Feb 24, 2008
    Georgia
    This had kind of crept up on me, but the last few weeks I've started to notice how...waddly Ripley looks. He's definitely put on a few, and I'm not sure why. He gets a half cup of food twice a day...DH has been in charge of feeding the dogs recently and I've asked him to please be sure to measure accurately and to not feed him from his plate, but he's in denial...he keeps saying it's just fur...it's not, it's fat. I have temporarily taken over feeding whenever possible (I work evenings, so sometimes I'm just not home) and I'm also walking him more. I don't want to cut his food any further, I'm already feeding much less that what the bag says. I really think someone in my house is giving him extra food. :(
     
    blacknblue, Jun 20, 2009
    blacknblue, Jun 20, 2009
    #1
  2. king buddy

    king buddy Forums Enthusiast

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    Hastings, Michigan
    I have to ask...Do you own a Chihuahua? ( Just kidding!) I have put my Fluffy Kids on a diet as I had been over feeding and Sweetie was hungry late the other night when my Chihuahua went into my sons room and come hauling out a bowl of food she had hid in her kennel and set it in front of her for her to eat. I have told all my family to let me feed them and my son had gave his Chihuahua a bowl in his room. So not only is my family helping my Shelties stay fluffy now the dogs have started ....We laughed our butts off the night she did this....She was so proud to feed her friend!:biggrin2: Chris said to supplement part of their food with thawed frozen green beans.
    Good Luck with your fluffy kid. As my husband says." fluffy not fat!":cool:
     
    king buddy, Jun 20, 2009
    king buddy, Jun 20, 2009
    #2
  3. corbinam

    corbinam Moderator

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    Green beans

    You could try feeding him green beans instead of a portion of his food. We are feeding Bentley 1/4 cup of food twice a day, with a 1/4 cup of green beans at night.
     
    corbinam, Jun 20, 2009
    corbinam, Jun 20, 2009
    #3
  4. Ann

    Ann Moderator

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    Shelties have a tendency to pack on the pounds, so it's something you have to be careful about. They do hide it well under all that fur! First of all, never never never feed what the bag says!! The food bag will always tell you to feed about double what a Sheltie should have. What does Ripley weigh? And what kind of food are you giving him? Some foods are much richer than others...read the label for the fat and calorie content. You can put him on a "lite" food--Drs. Foster and Smith makes a very good one that you can order online, or if you have a natural pet store, Wellness also makes a great low cal food.

    We have three Shelties all around 20-22 pounds, and they each get 1/4 cup of kibble twice a day, with their supplements. And they can chunk up on that much if I'm not careful. Green beans is a great way to reduce food and add bulk so they don't feel deprived, that's a great suggestion. If your dog is especially active, does agility or shows, he might need more but if he's a couch potato, you can reduce the amount he gets.

    You will probably have to reduce the amount you are feeding Ripley until he takes off some weight. And if you can add some extra exercise, that's a huge help. It also helps to weigh him so you can keep track of his progress.

    You are very smart to catch this now, before he becomes too overweight, which is really not healthy for them. Good luck and stick to your guns! :yes:
     
    Ann, Jun 20, 2009
    Ann, Jun 20, 2009
    #4
  5. mcguiregirl2248

    mcguiregirl2248 Forums Enthusiast

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    Britton, MI
    I second everything that Ann has said, she actually took the words out of my mouth. Marlie was on 1/2 a cup twice a day and the vet told me that she was getting fat. She now only gets a 1/4 cup twice a day with a spoonful of canned food and Rasha gets 1/3 cup twice a day with a spoonful of canned food too, she is a little bit taller than Marlie and needs just a bit more food for her size to not look rail thin like when she came here. They don't need as much food as we think they do. And since I have cut Marlie back, she is doing better and doesn't act like she is starving. Hope that helps. :biggrin2:
     
    mcguiregirl2248, Jun 20, 2009
    mcguiregirl2248, Jun 20, 2009
    #5
  6. blacknblue

    blacknblue Forums Regular

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    Feb 24, 2008
    Georgia
    It sounds like I may still be over feeding him....I thought 1/2 cup looked like such a small amount in his bowl. He currently weighs 31 lbs and is 16 inches tall. Last year at this time he was 28 lbs and still was a little chubby....I'm guessing he needs to lose 5 lbs. I'm going to try cutting his food back more and the green beans.

    On the other end of the spectrum, I have a border collie who is skinny no matter how much he eats...I had the two out together and someone said "looks like one of them is stealing the others food..." :rolleyes2:. This is not actually happening because I watch them eat, but Ripley would steal the other dogs food if he could.

    King Buddy, that's very funny about your chihuahua. :biggrin2:
     
    blacknblue, Jun 20, 2009
    blacknblue, Jun 20, 2009
    #6
  7. Ann

    Ann Moderator

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    Five pounds sounds about right from his description. I'd cut him down to 1/3 cup and see how that goes, and supplement with some green beans. If that works, you can maintain him on that amount.

    My son has a Border Collie, and struggles to keep weight on him too. Border Collies can just THINK weight off!! :eek2:
     
    Ann, Jun 20, 2009
    Ann, Jun 20, 2009
    #7
  8. tehluhlah

    tehluhlah Forums Enthusiast

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    Louisville, KY
    Its good that you're noticing hes picking up weight so you can nip this in the bud. Smoke gained a lot of weight over the winter and we didn't even notice, but our vet sure did and told us he had to go on a diet. He is only 13" tall and was up to 24lbs, we cut him back to 1/4 cup twice a day and now is he down to a svelte 16lbs. During the summer we do go to a lot of trials and shows, though, so at these times we bump him up to 3/8 cup twice a day.

    We also mentioned the sad emptiness of his bowl at only 1/4 cup to the vet and she suggested most of the same things that others on here have already mentioned -- green beans, carrots, that sort of thing. She also said he could have just a couple of Craisins sprinkled on for extra flavor and vitamins (he adores cranberries) but only a few because they are high in sugar and therefore calories :wink2:

    Best of luck with the doggy weight loss!

    P.S. I just wanted to reiterate thats Craisins the dried cranberries and not raisins, raisins are very very bad for doggies :)
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2009
    tehluhlah, Jun 20, 2009
    tehluhlah, Jun 20, 2009
    #8
  9. Chris

    Chris Premium Member

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    Buy a smaller bowl. :lol:
     
    Chris, Jun 21, 2009
    Chris, Jun 21, 2009
    #9
  10. Caro

    Caro Moderator

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    I know what you mean. My female sheltie (13") eats the same as my male sheltie (16+") and he puts on weight while she never does. She seems to 'poo' out any food excess to requirements. People say the same to me about Deska pinching Tully's food but its actually the other way round - Tully is the queen of food!
     
    Caro, Jun 21, 2009
    Caro, Jun 21, 2009
    #10
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